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Purpose of the Program

Project MATCH addresses diversity needs of the Los Angeles area that are born of the regions ever-changing demographics. The Los Angeles Community College District, comprised of nine area community colleges, offers Project MATCH as a program to prepare and recruit a diverse community college faculty who are sensitive to the needs of the students and community it serves. The goals of the program are to improve the diversity pool of faculty in the District, for our interns to become role models reflecting that diversity in the District, and to better reflect the diversity of the community around the biggest community college district in the United Stated of America.

The program is open to all qualified applicants and assumes that applicants meet the State Minimum Qualifications in the subject area to which they will be assigned as interns.

In 2011, Project MATCH celebrated its 20th anniversary. To recognize this milestone we put together a short video that captures the essence of what this program is about. To view please click on the following You Tube video.

Program Commitment

The Project MATCH Internship is a multi-component program comprised of mandatory elements shown below. Failure to attend the Summer Institute, two follow-up workshops, special events and other scheduled mandatory meetings and internship assignments at the college may result in exclusion from the program.

The mandatory elements of the program include all of the following:

An introductory session held on one Saturday in May prior to the Summer Institute.

The Summer Institute, held between June and August, is designed to give interns the fundamental theories and skills necessary to thrive in their community college internship. Summer Institute classes are scheduled on weeknights between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm.

Two follow-up workshops held on one Saturday during the months of October and December.

The end of year culmination and award event held during an evening in December before the end of the Fall semester.

Prior to the fall semester, the program Coordinator will assign each intern to work with a mentor who matches the intern’s particular subject area. For example, a teaching intern will be mentored by a classroom instructor that matches their field of study. The intern will be assigned to work with the mentor to teach one class (3 - 5 hours per week on 16 consecutive weeks throughout the fall semester). If the intern is a counselor or librarian, the intern will be assigned to a mentor in their field and will be given the equivalent non-classroom assignment. Weekday and evening opportunities are available Monday through Friday only (no weekend assignments are available), and the assignment will take place at one of the nine colleges in the District. Please note: evening opportunities are not available for counseling interns.

This program is not affiliated with professional graduate school programs for teacher training. Campus selection and mentor matching is at the sole discretion of the District and is implemented by the program Coordinator.

Program Structure

Selected interns must attend the Coordinator’s orientation session in May. Interns will receive valuable information to help guide them through the course of their internship as well as an opportunity to ask questions of the Coordinator.

The Summer Institute (the interns’ training program) provides interns with a foundation in pedagogy as well as techniques, skills, and best practices for the classroom. This program prepares the interns for their fall semester internship assignment.

Also in summer, mentors and interns arrange to meet one-on-one to discuss the fall semester internship. Planning the fall semester is an important activity that sets the stage for a successful internship experience for the intern, the mentor, and the students. Mentors and interns alike must have a clear understanding of how they will approach the fall semester.

During the fall semester, interns receive on-campus training from their mentors in their subject area. For example, teaching interns are incorporated into their mentor’s classroom, first by observing their mentor’s teaching methods in the classroom and then by being shown how to prepare lessons and activities for the students. After a few weeks (no more than 3), interns begin to present topics to the students. Mentors provide feedback in response to these teaching trials. As the semester progresses, interns are allowed an increasing amount of supervised time teaching in front of the class. When prepared and capable, interns should teach at least one whole class session in its entirety.

The fall semester is also a time for interns to attend campus events or activities that would help promote understanding of the various responsibilities of our faculty. Interns are also provided opportunities to meet the department chair, other members of the department, and to gain a better understanding of campus life.

The October follow-up meeting gives interns a chance to share their classroom experiences with the other interns in their cohort. Job opportunities in the District are explored, and specific interview skills/techniques for educators are discussed.

The December follow-up meeting offers interns the opportunity to participate in mock interviews. This exercise gives interns invaluable insight and serves to prepare them for the interview process when applying for a permanent position.

The program culminates with an end-of-year event to recognize the interns’ completion of their internship and to recognize the contributions of their mentors.

Compensation

The terms of the assignment provide a stipend not to exceed $800 for each intern. The stipend is conditional on attending all mandatory events and all fall semester classes. The stipend is delivered in two payments at the end of October and at the end of December.

Eligibility

If you are interested in this program which may lead to a career as a full time community college instructor, counselor or librarian you must comply with the following criteria:

be authorized to work in the USA,

have expertise in a subject area (either academic or vocational) that is taught at one of the nine campuses of the Los Angeles Community College District, and

have no paid college (2 or 4 year) professional teaching experience prior to applying or during the course of the internship. Similar professional experience in counseling or library science will disqualify applicants applying as counseling interns or library interns.

The following types of paid teaching experience will not disqualify an applicant from consideration:

Preschool

K-12

Adult Education

Graduate Teaching Assistant (TA)

Community-Based Courses

College-Extension Courses

Non College-Credit Courses

Corporate Education

The general eligibility requirements for academic and vocational teaching areas are set forth below. For specific subject areas, please refer to the State Minimum Qualifications.

Academic Disciplines

(Examples only: Math, English, Life Science, Speech, Chemistry, etc.)

Applicants must:

hold an advanced degree from an accredited college or university

meet California Community College minimum qualifications by the completion of a masters degree in a subject area offered at a LACCD campus, and

have no prior paid professional teaching, (in a credited course) or counseling or librarian experience at the college (2 or 4 year) level.

Vocational Disciplines

meet California Community College minimum qualifications by the completion of an Associate degree combined with at least 6 years of full-time paid experience in the subject area offered at a LACCD campus: orBachelor's degree and 2 years of full-time paid experience in the subject area offered at a LACCD campus, and

have no prior paid professional teaching experience (in a credited course) at the college (2 or 4 year) level.

How to Apply

Write a letter of interest for the Project MATCH internship. In that letter include the discipline(s) you are interested in teaching as well as an explanation of the completion of your undergraduate and graduate degrees and GPA (signed and dated original, no photocopies, no faxes, no form computer-generated signatures)

Provide a current resume

Provide official college/university transcript(s), including all higher education units attempted. Higher education includes all course work completed beyond high school that address the minimum qualifications needed in your discipline. The Official college/university transcript(s) must be submitted in a sealed (unopened) envelope.

Photo copies of official college/university transcript(s) or printed unofficial transcripts downloaded from a website will not be accepted.

If you have foreign transcripts, they must be evaluated by a recognized USA agency that is accepted by LACCD. Please read the Agencies Evaluating Foreign Transcripts to see who to contact. You must submit this evaluation in a sealed envelope with your foreign transcripts at the time you apply for this internship.

Provide one signed letter of recommendation written expressly for the Project MATCH internship application within the last 6 months (no photocopies, no faxes, no form letters or computer-generated signatures) from an individual (not a family member) who has provided post-secondary academic instruction to the applicant or who has worked in a professional setting as a supervisor to the applicant.

All these materials (Items 1 to 5) must be received by the closing date and will not be returned to you.

An invitation to interview will be mailed to eligible applicants in February/March.

All intern applicant interviews will be conducted on one Friday and/or Saturday during the month of March or April. The criteria for selection will include, at minimum:

Academic preparation or occupational expertise in a target discipline.

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

We are looking for talented individuals who want to pursue a career in a community college and are interested in interning as an instructor, counselor, and librarian at our nine community colleges.

Unsuccessful applicants will be also notified by mail on or about the end of March. Unsuccessful applicants who wish to apply again in the future must submit a fresh application and address items 1 to 5.

Acceptance of applications for Project MATCH – Acceptance of Applications for Project MATCH is now closed for 2015

​We will be accepting applications for Project MATCH 2016 from Monday November 2, 2015. Please do not submit your application prior to that date as it will not be accepted. All application materials (see 1-5 above) must be received (hand delivered or by mail, no faxes or emails) at the address below by 11:59 pm, Monday February 15, 2016.

For additional information, or if you require reasonable accommodation regarding applying for this program because you have a qualified disability under the provision of the American with Disability Act (ADA), please contact the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, at (213) 891-2315.